Trolley-shifter.



S. L. HANSON.

TROLLEY SHIFTBR.

APPLIOATION Hum JUNM, 1910.

969,754. Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

ll-IIIIIIIIIIIII MIIIIIW SAMUEL L. HANSON, OF ALBERT LEA, MINNESOTA. i

TROLLEY-SHIFTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Application filed .Tune 4, 1910. Serial No. 565,105.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SluvrUnL L. HANsoN, citizen of the United States, residing at Albert Lea, in the county of Freeborn and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Trolley-Shifter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tracks for feed and .litter carriers and the object of the invention is to provide a sim le and efficient connection between the rigic track within a barn and the flexible track which is employed in the field whereby the trolley of the carrier will be shifted from the rigid track to the flexible track or vice versa without any liability t0 derailment.

The invention seeks to provide a trolley shifter which will be of simple construction and by which the end of the flexible track will be partly supported and a strong connection provided between the two sections of the track.

With the stated object and such other incidental objects as will hereinafter appear in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of the device illustrated in the accompanying' drawings as will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the annexed drawings,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device showing portions of the track sections in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved device. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. L is a detail transverse section on the line .l-/t of Fig. 2 and showing the flexible track or cable clamped by my improved device.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a base plate l which is provided with a straight edge 2, and on its under side, at the said straight edge 2 I provide a plurality of lips 3 which are adapted to be clamped around a cable or flexible track l, as shown in Fig. 4. These lips or prongs 3 are formed at opposite sides of a longitudinal groove 5 in the under side of the plate l, the said groove being of such a diameter as may be necessary in any particular case to receive the end of the flexible track 4 and fit snugly around the same. The cable or flexible track section -l will ordinarily project inward beyond the end of theI plate 1 and be secured to a beam or other fixed part of the barn and may be secured either inside or outside of' the same. The end of the plate l is provided with an inwardly projecting arm (S disposed parallel to the plane of the groove 5, and in the upper side of the said arm I form a recess adapted to receive the end of the angle iron 7 constituting the rigid track section. The said angle iron 7 is secured in a recess or seat in the upper side of the arm (3 by suitable fastening bolts S inserted through the base of the said track section and openings 9 formed in the arm G to receive the same.

At the edge of the base plate 1, I provide a rib or flange 10 which is of-a height equal to the height of the track section 7 and fits squarely against the end of the same so as to form substantially a continuation thereof. This rib or flange 10 is given an ogee form when viewed from above so as to converge toward the straight edge of the base plate and gradually merge into the same, the upper edge of the rib or flange being beveled or tapered, as indicated at 11, to guide the trolley onto the flexible track section 4, as will be readily understood. The rib or flange 10 is inset slightly from the edge of the base plate thereby presenting a shoulder l2 which will serve as a rail or guide for the flange of the trolley wheel, it being understood that the ordinary trolley wheel employed in feed and litter carriers has a deeply grooved periphery and that the flanges of the trolley wheel will fit on opposite sides of the track rib or flange 10. In order to reinforce the structure a depending rib or flange 13 is provided on the under side of the same as shown.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that I have provided a trolley shifting device which will effcctually guide a trolley from a flexible track or cable onto the rigid track which is employed in a barn, or from the rigid track onto the flexible track without any liability of the trolley to be derailed and without permitting the flanges of the trolley wheel to cut into the flexible track section or unduly wear on the rigid track section or any other part.

The device employed by me serves to reinforce and support the end of the flexible track section or cable, inasmuch as the said section fits within a groove in the under side of the connecting device and is clamped in said groove by means of lips formed integral with the base plate of the device and bent around the said track section so as to inclose the same.

The device is light and strong and will not interfere with the employment of either form of track rail nor with the operation of the barn doors or of any other parts.

The advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a flexible track section, and a rigid track section arranged parallel therewith7 of a trolley-shifting device comprising a base plate provided along one edge with means for securing the flexible track section and secured at its opposite edge to the end of the rigid track section, and having a trolley-guiding rib on its upper side extending between its edges and leading from the trolley-receiving surface of one track section to the similar surface of the other track section.

2. The combination with a flexible track section, and a rigid track section arranged parallel therewith, of a trolley shifting device comprising a base plate adapted to be secured to the rigid track section and provided on its under side with means for securing the flexible track section, and pro-v tion, a base plate provided in its under side along one edge with a groove receiving the said track section and having means for clamping the said track section, the said base plate being further provided with a recess in its upper side at one end and a rib on its upper side having one end beveled to merge into the upper surface of the flexible track section, and a rigid track section rigidly secured within the recess in the upper side of the base -plate and having a member corresponding to the rib on the base plate.

t. The combination of a flexible track section, a base plate provided in its under side along one edge with a groove receiving the said track section and having lips at the opposite sides of the groove to clamp the said track section, the said base plate being further provided with a recess in its upper side at one end and a rib on its upper side having one end beveled to merge into the upper surface of the flexible track section, and a rigid track section rigidly secured within the recess in the upper side of the base plate and having a member corresponding to the rib on the base plate.

5. In combination with the base plate having a substantially straight edge at one side and an upstanding rib at the opposite side, said rib being given an ogee form and having one end beveled to merge into the said straight edge, means provided along the said straight edge for attaching one end of a track section thereto in alinement with the beveled end of the. rib, and a separate track section attached to the plate in alinement with the other end of said rib.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiiXed my signai ture in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL L. HANSON.

4Witnesses:

BEA ANDERSON, L. A. Momz. 

